Stretcher Transportation in Silver Spring, MD

What our stretcher service includes in Silver Spring

Stretcher transportation is for riders who cannot sit upright safely for the length of the trip. We run it bed-to-bed: the crew comes to the room, not the front door.

• Two crew on every trip. Moving an adult between a bed and a cot is not a one-person job, so every stretcher trip has two trained crew members.
• Power-assisted cots. Our stretcher vans carry power-assisted Stryker cots that raise and lower the rider smoothly and ride flat or reclined.
• Bed to bed. The crew transfers the rider from the bed to the cot, out to the van, and at the other end into the bed, chair or exam table waiting for them.
• Trained crews. Stretcher crews complete the NEMTAC Certified Stretcher Operator course, and every employee passes a criminal background check and drug screening.
• Accredited. H&M Transport was the first NEMT provider in Virginia to earn NEMTAC accreditation.

There is no medical care on board, which is why a stretcher van costs a fraction of an ambulance and can be scheduled like any other appointment.

Silver Spring hospitals and discharges

Holy Cross Hospital on Forest Glen Road and Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center on Healing Way are where most of our Silver Spring stretcher discharges begin. White Oak opened in 2019, replacing Washington Adventist Hospital in Takoma Park. Tell us the unit and the crew goes to the room.

We also take patients home from Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville, which has a patient drop-off circle at the main entrance and another in front of the Horizon Tower, and from hospitals in Washington DC. For case managers, we commit to a three-hour maximum lead time and free cancellation up to two hours before pickup.

Rehab, senior campuses and hospice

Riderwood on Gracefield Road, a large senior community with its own on-site medical center, is a frequent stop for our stretcher crews, along with the rehabilitation and skilled nursing facilities across Montgomery County. We run scheduled transfers between facilities when the patient is stable, and hospice discharges home.

For dialysis riders who can no longer manage a chair, we run standing stretcher schedules to centers such as DaVita Silver Spring on Georgia Avenue and DaVita Briggs Chaney on Outlet Drive.

Stretcher transportation prices in Silver Spring

Every trip is a pick-up fee plus mileage, and the rates are the same everywhere we drive. These are our 2026 private-pay rates.

A ten-mile hospital discharge home is $260 plus $40 of mileage, so $300. A ten-mile round trip to an appointment is $230 plus five extra miles at $4.00 on each leg, so $250 each way and $500 in total. The rates are the same in Maryland, DC and Virginia, so a trip across the line is quoted on the same card.

Add-ons, named up front. Stair team, $75 each way. After hours (before 7am or after 6pm), $50. Prescheduled wait time, $100 per hour. Oxygen, $35 per 2L tank. Additional stop, $30. Credit card processing, 3%. We quote the trip before you book; the full rate card is on our rates page.

Why paratransit and rideshare are not options for stretcher riders

Public paratransit such as MetroAccess and the county services near Silver Spring is built for riders who travel seated or in a wheelchair, and a rideshare or taxi needs the rider to sit up and get in on their own. A rider who has to travel lying down needs a stretcher van or, if they need medical care on the way, an ambulance. That is why most of our stretcher bookings come from discharge planners, skilled nursing facilities, hospice teams and families arranging a single important trip.

Getting a stretcher in and out of Silver Spring homes

• Downtown high-rises near the Metro need a loading entrance and the service elevator. Tell us both.
• Older houses in Woodside, Four Corners and Takoma Park often have steps from the sidewalk and narrow interior stairs. Tell us the step count and whether the stairway turns; the stair team handles it.
• Senior campuses such as Riderwood have several buildings. Tell us the building and the unit.
• Oxygen. Tell us the flow rate when you book.

Who pays for a stretcher ride in Silver Spring

Maryland and DC Medicaid. H&M Transport is not a Medicaid provider in Maryland, so we cannot take Medicaid-covered rides in Montgomery or Prince George’s counties. In Montgomery County, Medicaid transportation is arranged through the county Department of Transportation’s Medical Assistance Transportation Program; start there or with the number on the member’s ID card. In Washington DC, the only Medicaid plan we serve is UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of the District of Columbia, through SafeRide Health. In Montgomery, Prince George’s and DC alike, if your health plan’s ride benefit is administered by SafeRide Health, book through the plan and request H&M Transport by name.

Medicare. Original Medicare does not cover a stretcher van. It covers ambulance transport when an ambulance is medically necessary and documented. Some Medicare Advantage plans include a limited transportation benefit; if yours does, book through the plan and ask for H&M Transport by name.

Private pay and facilities. Families booking directly pay the published rates above, and the quote is what you pay. Hospitals, skilled nursing facilities and hospices book on contracted rates, with a three-hour maximum lead time for discharges; see our facilities page.

Booking, notice and cancellations

• Same-day requests and discharges: call (703) 304-7889. We need a minimum of three hours notice, and we cover most requests inside that window. Booking 24 hours ahead guarantees availability.
• Trip details: tell us the room or unit, the destination, the rider’s weight, any oxygen and flow rate, and the number of steps at the home and whether the stairway turns.
• Stairs: when a stairway needs the stair team, it adds $75 each way.
• Weight: for riders over 300 lbs, select bariatric service so the reinforced cot is assigned.
• Changes and cancellations: cancel or change at least two hours before pickup to avoid a fee, by phone, by email at Reservations@hmtransport.com, or in our mobile app.

Stretcher transportation in Silver Spring: common questions

How much does stretcher transportation cost in Silver Spring?

A round trip is $230 per leg with five miles included each way and $4.00 per additional mile. A one-way or discharge trip is $260 plus $4.00 per mile. A ten-mile discharge is $300.

Do you take stretcher discharges from Holy Cross and White Oak?

Yes, with three hours notice. Tell us the unit and the destination, and whether there are steps at the home.

Can you bring a patient home to Silver Spring from a DC hospital?

Yes. We hold WMATC authority 3449 for trips between Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, DC and Northern Virginia.

Does Maryland Medicaid pay for stretcher transportation?

No. H&M Transport is not a Medicaid provider in Maryland. In Montgomery County, Medicaid rides are arranged through the county Department of Transportation’s Medical Assistance Transportation Program. In DC, the only Medicaid plan we serve is UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of the District of Columbia, through SafeRide Health. If your health plan’s ride benefit is administered by SafeRide Health, in Maryland or DC, you can request H&M Transport by name.

Do you move patients from the hospital to rehab or a nursing home?

Yes, when the patient is stable. We do not move patients between hospitals for a higher level of care.

Why are there two crew members?

Every stretcher trip has two trained crew so the transfer at both ends is safe.

Can a family member ride along?

In most cases, yes. Tell us when you book so we assign a vehicle with the seat available.

Stretcher van or ambulance?

A stretcher van carries a stable rider lying down. It is not an ambulance: there is no medical care or monitoring on board, we do not take anyone to an emergency room, and we do not move patients between hospitals for a higher level of care. We do run scheduled transfers between facilities when the patient is stable, such as hospital to rehab or hospital to a nursing home. If this is a medical emergency, call 911.

More from H&M Transport near Silver Spring

All medical transportation in Silver Spring · Stretcher transportation across the DC region · Wheelchair transportation in Silver Spring · Rides to Holy Cross Hospital · Rides to White Oak Medical Center · Hospice discharge